Playing the Game
by Honeyaxa
Summary: It's the first day of high school for Orihara Izaya and Heiwajima Shizuo. Is love at first sight a thing? Or is it really just curious hate these two feel for one another? Well, Asaka Hana won't stop until she sees these two get together, even if it kills her.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't normally do yaoi pairings but here ya go. Sorry about the author avatar, I needed a way to boss the characters around that they couldn't avoid. This will be a couple chapters long. At least 3, I think. May or may not include any frickle frackling. Don't know if it will get that far or if I'll leave it on a will they won't they. Feedback would be much appreciated. Have fun. **

* * *

"State your name and one item about yourself." The teacher at the front of the class gave the same order every other had given at the beginning of every year. He was plain and boring and Orihara Izaya doubted he would be able to remember his name, thus taking it upon himself to turn his attention away from the classroom and out the window.

It was an average spring day and, if it wasn't Izaya's first day of high school, he probably wouldn't remember it. His mind wandered for a moment and he absentmindedly cracked his neck. The uniform at Raira Academy cramped his style. Actually, any uniform cramped his style. Izaya wasn't one for uniforms. Something in the classroom caught his attention, dancing just barely in his peripheral vision.

That was it. Blond. So rarely did you see dyed hair that it caught Izaya by surprise. And even more surprise joined it when he realized the owner of the blond hair was a boy. He tuned his ears back into the classroom just as the strange blond boy sat down. Darn it, he'd missed his name.

From then on Izaya paid careful attention to everyone else's names, hoping he would be able to narrow it down by looking at the class register later. Finally it came turn the girl who sat in front of him. She was small, like she had stopped growing in elementary school. Izaya watched the back of her head as it bobbed forward and rose back up to exactly where it had been as she sat.

"My name is Asaka Hana. I'm," she sharply drew in a breath, as if startled, "I, er, am the author. Ah! I mean, an author! Or, I, eh, I will be…maybe…" She quickly sat back down, her long black hair falling forward to conceal her blushing face.

Izaya smiled sympathetically before rising and painting a bored expression on his face. "Orihara Izaya. I'm just here," a small smile tugged at his lips as he caught the blond boy's eye, "to help."

%^&amp;(*

Heiwajima Shizuo kept his head down until the lunch break. He didn't know what it was but something about that Orihara-kun made his blood boil and his stomach churn. As he walked out the door into the school's courtyard he let his mind wander. Was that smile for him?

He shook his head violently. There was no way. He didn't even know the guy! Why would he smile like that? Shizuo angrily kicked a small stone, sending it flying until it made contact with the fence that separated the courtyard from the athletic fields. The strong desire kicked up in his stomach to teach that guy some manners.

He sighed at his own rash thinking and leaned his back against the cool chain. He turned his face to the sky and watch as the wispy clouds changed shape rather than move in any sort of direction. "Get a grip, Shizuo." He muttered to himself as he pulled a sandwich out of his jacket. He pulled the plastic wrapping from around it and bit into it was as much anger as he felt towards Orihara Izaya.

He sighed, sitting down dejectedly, and let his hand, holding the sandwich, fall into his lap. "He must be some serious bad news if I hate him without even knowing him."

(*&amp;^(&amp;*

Back in the classroom, Izaya was watching the blond boy from the window. He knew picking a window seat would come in handy. He jumped slightly as the seat in front of him was pulled out and Asaka-san sat down facing him. "You've been watching Heiwajima-kun since he introduced himself. Is there something you'd like to admit, Orihara-kun?"

He gauged how serious she was being, her demeanor completely different than it was in her introduction. He exhaled comically and offered her a genuine smile. "There's something about him. And I'm a little surprised to see a boy with dyed hair."

Asaka-san spread her lunch out over Izaya's desk, paying careful attention to the placement of each container. "You're hair doesn't exactly look natural, either." She looked up, making sure the accusation in her tone was heard. "No offence, but you'd have to have robbed the Yakuza to get enough gel to style your hair."

"You aren't what I expected." Izaya immediately turned his attention back inside as he felt the words leave his mouth.

Asaka-san giggled. "And that's why you haven't told me to go away yet." She popped a clump of rice into her mouth and continued. "You said you were here to help. I don't really understand that." She swallowed. "But I guess I'm here to do the same. I can see it in your face. You want me to go talk to Heiwajima-kun for you, right?"

Izaya frowned. "What's the catch?"

Asaka-san rose, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward to smile sweetly right in Izaya's face. "No catch. That's what friends do, Izaya-kun." She walked to the door before turning back as if she'd forgotten something. "Call me, Hana, okay?"

&amp;^%(&amp;*)

Shizuo looked up from his angry inner monologue to see the author-girl running up to him, waving, with a smile on her face. "Can I talk to you, Heiwajima-kun?"

Shizuo blinked in astonishment. "Oh, yeah." He awkwardly offered the space in the ground next to himself and she plopped down with little grace. "You, uh, you don't have to be so formal. Shizuo is fine."

Asaka-san's face lit up. "Then call me Hana." She recomposed herself, trying her best to look serious. "Anyway, Shizuo, I wanted to talk to you about Orihara Izaya. What's your take on him?"

Shizuo scrunched up his face. "There's something off about that guy. I can't say why," he pounded his fist into his hand, "but I really hate his guts."

Hana tapped her chin. "Are you sure? Kinda looks to me like you can't stop thinking about him." She teasingly poked Shizuo in the chest. "And it figures, I mean, he's watching you from the window."

Shizuo jumped up in a panic. "He wha-?" He pointed an accusing finger up at where he thought the classroom was. "What do you think you're doing, you sicko! How dare you send a girl to do your dirty work! I'll get you for this, Izaya-kun!" He quickly proceeded to turn his back on the building and turn varying shades of red at his outburst.

"It was nice talking to you, Shizuo." Hana had risen and was dusting the back of her skirt.

Shizuo grabbed her arm. "No, wait! You gotta give me dirt on Izaya-kun!" He didn't know why he felt this need but he couldn't let Izaya have the upper hand.

Hana used her free hand to tap her chin and gained a pondering expression. "Weren't you just berating Izaya for doing just that? Don't tell me Shizuo is a hypocrite?" Her condescending tone made Shizuo release her arm. A smile grew on her face. "But I don't see why not. After all, we're friends."

&amp;*)%^&amp;*

Hana and Heiwajima-kun walked back into the classroom just as the bell rang. Izaya watched patiently as Heiwajima-kun took his seat and seemingly pretended that no one else existed. Hana took her place in front of Izaya and slipped a piece of paper over her shoulder.

Izaya practically scrambled for it and clumsily unfolded it scanning it desperately:

_Heiwajima Shizuo is obsessed with you. He can't stop thinking about you. Go for it!_

_Hana 3_

Izaya crumpled up the note hurriedly. He tried his best to control the blush that was working it's way across his features. He prayed harder than he'd ever prayed before that Heiwajima Shizuo would not turn around. Shizuo. It sounded kind of stuffy. Shi-kun. Shiz-kin. Shizu-kun. Shizu-chan. That was it. Shizu-chan. It suite the uptight looking blond nicely. He un-crumpled the note and hurried wrote back:

_Shizu-chan isn't really my type._

_Izaya_

He debated adding a symbol of his own, figuring Hana would devolve into just signing their correspondences with her heart. He opted not to add anything and slipped the note onto her lap. The next note was one word long and unsigned:

_Liar_

Izaya shook his head, this time crumpling up the paper for good.

_**To be continued…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**It's a little shorter than the last one. But this way I get to write lunch as the highlight for chapter 3 :) A bit of swearing this chapter but it's Shizuo so it's to be expected.**

* * *

Izaya collapsed into his seat, third from the back, just as the sun was peaking over the tree tops. He had been late every other day this week so he decided he might as well make the effort just this once. He was also curious. Shizu-chan always beat him to school. Izaya wanted to know just how early Mr. Perfect got in every day.

He let his mind wander. School wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be. Even when he wasn't paying attention he got most things correct and when he was caught not listening Hana would bail him out, either with some bullshit about something being confusing or by outright showing him in her notebook.

Izaya smiled to himself. If he wanted to give into Hana's accusations he might even thank Shizu-chan for being the source of their friendship. Hana had gotten him more information of the blond pretty boy than any social network.

Before he could take that thought any further he had to chuckle at her timing. "Morning, Izaya! It's going to rain today. I brought my umbrella if you want to walk home together."

Izaya gave a noncommittal nod and turned his gaze back out the window. "Got the time, Hana?" He tossed the words into the air like popcorn he intended to catch in his mouth.

Hana stopped mid-babble. "The first bell should go any time. Come to think of it, you're really early. Did you sleep here last night?"

Izaya would never admit that he was there to see how early Shizu-chan came in. He bit his tongue to try and hold back any indicators that would give him away. "I thought I'd give being on time a shot."

Hana crossed her arms, furrowed her brow, and huffed so as to make sure she had Izaya's full attention. "There's being on time and being early, Orihara Izaya! How dare you try and keep something from me! I thought we were friends. Fine! If you'd rather walk home with Shizuo in the rain then be my guest."

"Speaking of Shizu-chan." Izaya saw the tips of blond dash into the front doors of the school just as the bell rang. "Looks like he's late."

%^&amp;*()%

Shizuo huffed and puffed, pushing through the halls to make it to class before he was marked tardy. He burst through the doors as if he were in an anime instead of real life and was thankful to see that only about half the class was there. He recomposed himself hastily as he saw Izaya-kun smirk at him.

Stupid Izaya-kun. Why was he early today? Was he trying to make Shizuo look bad? He walked calmly to his desk, trying ever so hard to pretend that Izaya-kun did not exist. He sat down and then mentally flopped forward. Fuck! This day could not get worse. In his haste, Shizuo had forgotten his school bag and by extension his lunch money.

He heard the distinct giggle escape Hana's lips and he couldn't help look over his shoulder to see what she was laughing at. He was surprised to meet her gaze, immediately followed by Izaya-kun's. Damn him. Could he know of Shizuo's misery?

%&amp;^*(^

Izaya laughed at how quickly Shizu-chan ducked his head. "Poor Shizu-chan." He said softly as the teacher entered the class and the lesson began.

The rest of the morning Izaya wondered what could be making Shizu-chan so gloomy. When lunch rolled around and he didn't leave the room as was accustom, curiosity got the better of the black cat. He rose gracefully from his chair and crossed the room completely silently. "What's wrong, Shizu-chan? You don't normally stick around the class at breaks."

Shizu-chan's face was a fluorescent red. "Mind your own business, Izaya-kun!" He spat.

Izaya looked around, noting that Shizu-chan had nothing on him. "You don't have a lunch. Don't tell me you're dieting!"

"Of course not!" Shizu-chan snapped. "I overslept and forgot my bag!"

Izaya laughed, gripping Shizu-chan's shoulder to support himself. "Well, why didn't you say so? Silly, Shizu-chan! Hana and I will share with you." He waved over at the girl who was neatly displaying her lunch over Izaya's desk. "Come on." He caught Shizu-chan's elbow and lifted him to a standing position before leading him over to the window.

^&amp;*()&amp;^%

Shizuo protested as best he could as Izaya-kun pulled a chair with his free hand and spun it around to plop the blond into it. He watched dumbfounded as Izaya-kun took his own seat and Hana continued to lay out her lunch. "Nice of you to join us, Shizuo." She said, paying absolutely no attention to either of the boys.

Shizuo grumbled something unintelligible in response. That damn Izaya-kun. Was this his way of mocking him? Well, he would be the one to have the last word, that Shizuo was certain of.


End file.
